I have noticed a trend recently in wedding photographer’s web pages of trying to clear up the confusion over the various styles of wedding photography. New names have emerged for these styles: Documentary, Illustrative, Fine Art, Classic, Contemporary, the now familiar Photojournalism and of course Traditional. Also we now hear photographers talking at length about how they only shoot weddings using “available light” and promise you that they won’t use flash.
The other hot topic is the discussion of the benefits of various types of camera equipment: The advantages of full frame cameras, or is Nikon better than Canon, etc. Much of this information has been posted to supposedly help you understand the advantages and disadvantages of all these approaches. However, when you read further, you often see that there is a slant towards the equipment or style used by that particular photographer. I recently read a web page where the photographer warned the reader to beware of wedding photographer’s who still shoot weddings using the traditional approach because it obviously means that they are using outdated equipment. Huh? So what does all this tell you? The answer: Nothing!
A few months ago I attended a seminar by one of the leading wedding photographers in the country. Her input on this subject was enlightening. Although she, herself used digital capture and some film, she emphasized that what really matters is how the photographs look. Do they have impact? Do they tell the story of the day? She went on to say that she is growing tired of other photographers always asking her what type of camera she uses or what the benefits are of digital over film, etc, etc. “Lets talk about the photographs!” she exclaimed. She talked about how lucky we are in this era to have access to such great equipment and that even some of the lowest cost equipment can be used to make beautiful images.
I could not agree more. At Dubnoff Wedding Photography our philosophy is that what really matters is the end result – your wedding album. 25 years after your wedding you are not going to care if your wedding photographer used a $10,000 camera or a Kodak disposable camera. Will you remember if you hired a photojournalist or an illustrative photographer? Probably not. Its the photos that you will remember and cherish. I do use some of the most modern and up to date camera equipment, but I am not obsessed with it. I spend more of my time trying to figure out how to make the most memorable and artistic images possible. This is not accomplished by simply going out and purchasing a $1,800 lens that is so sharp that it pratically allows you to see the pores on your subject’s face. Sharp, high quality lenses are important, but it is what the photographer does with them that matters. Find a photographer who talks about the images and not about how great his equipment is.
However, there are other factors important when choosing a wedding photographer. Developing rapport with your photographer is vital. A rude or bossy photographer can ruin a wedding for both the bride and groom. Look for photographers you are comfortable talking to. Make sure they can give you references and when you check those references ask how the photographer behaved at the wedding. Did he or she spend a lot of time eating food and drinking alcohol? Did he or she get along well with the guests? Calm Demeanor? Unobtrusive? Obviously, you want to make sure the photos are great, but these other factors can make or break your wedding photography experience.
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This video is dedicated to my wife Beth. Happy Anniversary and thank you for being you. Love, Chad If you want to see our goofy wedding photo go to: twitter.com
Help answer the question about Wedding Photography
What is the BEST digital professional wedding photography camera right now?I know everyone has a preference and it also depends on how one uses a camera but just technologically speaking, what is the top, most used digital camera right now by professional wedding photographers and possibly why?
I know Canon and Nikon are the most used, I am looking for an answer with a specific model. Like Nikon D3 or something like that. Something used by professional wedding photographers
Curious 
About Author
Mike Dubnoff has been a Bay Area wedding photographer since 1979. His work has been published in local newspapers, commercial brochures and national magazines. You can also check his website for San Francisco Napa Wine Country Destination Photography
Wedding photography tutorials: http://www.net-art.it/photomonitor/html/teoria_tecnica/ripresa-tecniche/matrimonio-cerimonia-e.shtml
See these tutorials on wedding photography: http://www.net-art.it/photomonitor/html/teoria_tecnica/ripresa-tecniche/matrimonio-cerimonia-e.shtml
I'm not familiar with any magazine with wedding photography as its main subject.
However, Inside Weddings has lots of good photos. Some of them are studio shots of course, but lots of them are actual wedding shots. I use it to help get the couple focused on the types of photos they like best during pre-planning.
Wow!!! Your question is very important for which I think you should go online and check this out: http://thestylishwedding.com/articles
Enjoy
equipment is not the main consideration.
Skill and experience is.
If you have never done a wedding before then before you jump in you need to work as an assistant for a while so that you do not completely and utterly mess up the couples big day.
Good wedding photography is a skill which can only be learnt with practice so going solo straight is NOT a good idea.
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Wedding photographers charge by the event, not the hour.
My wedding photographer had shot professionally for ten years, but mine was only her fourth wedding. Her experience as a pro combined with her inexperience at weddings led to a price of $750 for the day.
This included:
* Four scheduled hours of work (though she showed up early and also toured the venue with me the day before, so it's more like six hours total).
* Light editing of all pictures (color, contrast, removing any photos that had come out badly) and burning them to CD. This CD also came with copyright release, so I could print the photos legally. Most photographers charge maybe $250 for the copyright-released CD alone.
* No prints
You seem less experienced than my photographer was, so if I were you, I'd charge $500 for the above.
The high yearly saleries and $2000/gig prices are reserved for professional photographers who have lots of experience with weddings. If your sister's friend is going to you, it's because she can't afford them.
I suppose you have experience, a portfolio, have taken formal classes and you've done an apprenticeship with an experienced, established professional phtoographer?
In being a wedding photographer, you will find that you will have dry spells and a lot of free time on your hands; for that reason, I suggest that you expand your business to also include portraits, graduations, Christenings, and maybe even do a little of children and/or baby photos. Those are opportunities to make money ANeD to get your name known. Depending on the area where you're located, you might also want to work for a shop that does on-site photo processing (learn how to operate the equipment, machines, etc… learn as much as you can and keep your eyes and ears open).
Consider also taking a few businesses classes at the local "Y" or local community college through the Evening Adult & Continuing Education Department; it will help you in more ways than one… taxes, accounting, etc. Talented and skilled photographers go bankrupt all the time because they have no kind of business sense; learn as much as you can.
Getting started ain't always as easy as we imagine. For that reason you might want to visit a few churches and speak with the Holy Man, leave a few cards or make a professional looking circular and post it on the bulletin boards, do a few freebies or give them as much of a break as you can (use this to build a portfolio, get recommendations… future referrals) for a few people on really tight budgets. Bridal shops often don't say anything but they may expect a "finder's fee" or a tip (which I am sorely against), flower shops, beauty salons, etc. Speak with the proprietors and let them know that you're just starting out; take a few of their cards and also offer to pass them to any and all of your clients. Do you know anyone in the catering business? That's also a plus.
Don't give up. Starting is always the most difficult part! Listen, all the talent and skills in the world won't amount to anything unless you have the passion to persevere and overcome those obstacles you're sure to encounter; so, hang in there. Good luck and very best wishes.
Well, I do quite a few different types of photography, including weddings.
Just because you are 14 means only that age limitations apply. You have the youth and energy to craft your photographic trade for decades to come though! Having a Nikon D40 is a great thing. I shoot a D90 with a Tamron 18-270mm f/3.5-6.3 and love it! The fact you can edit is a great plus, seeing that digital photography has a requisite for that kind of talent.
Now, on to your questions…
You've already have gotten started. You have a great camera, you're computer savvy and have drive. Now you need the channels to utilize those energies. How about the school paper? The local paper? Be a free-lance photographer for them! Learn what clients want and find out how you can supply it. How will you make yourself unique (differentiate) as compared to other photographers? Think about this.
As to how to further get started in wedding photography, I learned by taking lots of photographs and reading up on books in the library. I also asked other photographers (like you're doing here) on some tips. It takes time, and you have lots of that!
As for your camera, right now the D40 is fine. Learn the operations of the camera if you haven't already. Knowing your tools is of utmost importance to getting the most from them. In a few years, think about upgrading possibly. Always look to buy the best lenses you can afford. The lens will outlive the camera by decades! Read articles, look at product reviews and see what is the right kind of lenses and bodies for what you want to do. I still have my 6 year old D70 and lenses because my wife is getting into photography and she loves it.
You can do some work on wedding photography right now. Not for pay possibly, but doing some free-lance work and then showing the bride and groom your work afterwards would set you up for something in the near future. I'd say that the earliest you could get some sort of paying work is at 17 or 18. Don't ask me what you could charge… your work/portfolio quality will determine that in a few years.
What kind of pictures? What do you WANT to take pictures of? What really makes you want to snap that picture? That is the motivation you need to focus on! That is what helps differentiate your work from everyone else! I do a lot of landscape, macro, flowers/plants and specialty photography personally.
The best thing to do is:
1) Learn your camera and lenses. What/where are they good at performing? How many lenses do you really need to just start? If you only have one lens then fine. Learn its strengths and weaknesses. Know the camera operations by memory so that when conditions change, you can change the settings accordingly.
Do you have a good prime lens (50mm f/1.8), a good low end zoom (18-70/105mm), a good high focal length zoom (70-300mm)? Maybe, like me, you have a good "walk about" lens (18-270mm). Even if you just have the 18-105mm Nikon lens the D40 came with, it's a very good lens! You can do a lot of fine work with that lens.
2) Read up on the types of photography you'd like to do. Take notes. How about some classes in middle or high school? Go to the library and check out some books so you can refer back to them. That is a no-cost option! Learn the basics of exposure and composition and how to get different effects from different settings of the camera. Don't rely on your software to make a semi-good picture better. Learn to take a great picture right off the bat so you don't have to do any rework on the computer.
3) Learn from your mistakes. Why did the picture come out bad, over or under exposed? How can you work to not do that again? Why is is that certain pictures came out fantastic? What did you do correctly so you can repeat that? Since you have a digital camera, you can usually take several shots of the same subject and see how different settings make the picture change to you liking.
4) Have fun doing whatever you do. I have seen so many people get into photography and get lost in the details that they forget to have FUN!
Good luck!
I know in our town we have bridal fairs at our mall and another at a local hotel. These fairs have booths set up so that businesses can get their names out there. I would start with that. Then word of mouth does wonder. Start some sort of reward program for people who refer you to other people. You may check and see if a local floral shop wants to team up with you and have packages that way. Also check out theknot.com. They are a wedding website that I believe is set up by area of the country.